Safety problems and gutter damage consistently accompany construction and maintenance projects requiring climbing on a roof. Ladders are leaned against the side of a building with the upright rails resting against an edge of the roof or against an underlying gutter. Roof edges can be damaged by ladders. Even with support devices positioned in gutters, the gutters remain vulnerable to dents, deformations and collapse.
Existing gutter protectors have proven inadequate. Successful operation involves placing supports inside the gutter and leaning a ladder against the gutter at the buttressed region. Many of these supports are easily dislodged and are incompatible with long-term positioning in the gutter because their dam-like design elements impede rainwater. Most gutter protectors are designed to be transportable rather than permanent fixtures and thus sacrifice rigidity for a design favoring transportability. The component parts of existing gutter supports are generally straight bars with designs susceptible to fatigue. Most important, existing gutter guards allow pressure to be exerted on the gutter and thereby weaken, distort and dent the gutter.
Needs exist for devices that protect rain gutters and increase worker safety on roof-related activities. Rain gutters are usually painted and constructed of a supple material, such as aluminum. When ladders exert pressure on the gutter, the paint tends to chip or crack. Dents develop, and the gutter tends to bend with poor aesthetic and functional results. An apparatus is needed that will give the gutter support, prevent the ladder from actually touching the gutter, and limit or eliminate direct applied pressure to the gutter.
Many tradesmen, including roofers, electricians and other contractors, as well as property owners, require sporadic and immediate access to the roofs of buildings. Some projects and company safety policies require gutters to be removed before climbing on the roof. This wastes both time and money and increases damage risks to the gutters. A device that eliminates the need for these removal measures will increase productivity, decrease costs, and enhance safety.
Worker productivity will increase and gutter damage will decrease by having a ladder support and gutter protector permanently affixed to the building. A roofer, mechanic or tradesman can climb onto the roof immediately upon entering the job site without first having to install gutter protectors. A means of guard recognition from the ground is also needed for those unfamiliar with the house to determine the place of roof access.
Safety is a primary concern for those using ladders to climb onto a roof. Even when positioned on level ground the ladder is subject to toppling sideways when workers ascend and descend the ladder or when workers leave or re-access the ladder from the roof. When poor weather conditions, such as wind, arise, workers can become stranded when a ladder falls while working on the roof. A means for connecting the ladder securely to the house while also not damaging the house is needed to allay those concerns. Existing safety devices for tying ladders to houses are inadequate because of implementation difficulties. Safety features need to be easy to use and blatantly obvious or else workers will forget to use or purposefully disregard the measures.
A need exists for a ladder support and rain gutter guard that eliminates ladder contact with the gutter, has a structure compatible with long-time installation and use, and can be fitted with rigid safety features.